how do you get terrain to cast a shodow? is this posable? and how do i stop models from playing there animations? and how do i make water partially see through? also how do i get the bonus models into the editor? i ave more questions but i cant remember them now.

1) Terrain doesn't (at least not that I know of) cast shadows yet.

2) You need to assign a script action to your model (that involves animation) if you don't want it to cycle through it's animations.

3) To make a water cube see-through, you need to assign it the "Transparent" flag by right clicking it and selecting "Properties".

4) What "bonus models"?

You should really look through the manual before posting anything on the forums. A lot of beginner questions are answered there.

Mr Code is [mostly] correct. You really should go through the manual...

1) yes, with stencil shadows.

2) [correct]

3) yes, but it must be compiled as a map-entity first...

4) he means the models included on the CD if you purchased it by mail, OR, the models downloadable on the downloads page. Copy them into your projects folder before using them.

do i copy the folders with stuff in them as well? or just the things in the folder? and sorry for my noobieness but what manual? ive done and read the toutorial but it just shows the super basics. also how would i make my trees leaves cast a shadow?

I would recommend that you just copy the models and stuff (not in their folders) into the "work" directory of your main GStuidio6 folder.

That way you won't get "file not found" errors from the editors or the engine (that's the default directory where it looks first, unless otherwise defined in your script).

The manual is the help file you can get to by going Help->Contents or by pressing F1.

are my objects not sopposed to cast a shadows on the terrain? is it not posable just like terrain casting shadows? if not that is bull. also the tutorial talks about less items on the screen=better fps. how would i do that with a island thats mostly forest and very little ammount of buildings?

For that project, I would recommend that you use LOD. LOD (Level Of Detail) allows for better frame rates, because any object that has it gets simpler and simpler as you move further and further away from it.

how do i enable lod? and do map entites cast shadows? i ask this because i have a command center thats a map entitie because building it takes like 4 hours so i didnt want my island taking that long. what are all the disidvanteges to using map entiteis? how would i go about making grass? is there a plugin or something that can spread it without me having to duplicate it over and over? and how do i block the blue form the skybox seens how its an island? and how would i make a sun? with particals? and how would i spread trees all over my island without duplicating a billion times?

hello?

1. LOD is automatic stuff stored in DirectX. You have to make 4 different models with _01, _02...etc at the end of entity's name to show the engine which one should be loaded.
2. grass... you may duplicate it in script f.e. while number of grass is less than something then make another grass at my position plus random distance. Like my.x += random(2000) -1000; And read about shaders on Wiki
3. Trees... is a lot of different ways to make trees. You may duplicate dummy model with function to create tree at his position. You may duplicate them like a grass. You may try to search some terrain (map) generator to put the trees. And of'course use LOD and fog settings to keep playable framerate.
4. Sun, sky, clouds...etc just READ HELP(F1) time to time! and search forum to find all Your answers.